Delivery riders in Greece are increasingly blamed for traffic violations, including driving the wrong way on one-way streets, mounting sidewalks, and running stop signs or red lights, according to safety experts.
Aris Zografos, president of Greece’s driving instructors association, said riders face “adverse conditions, time pressure, heavy traffic congestion and aggressiveness from other drivers,” and called for subsidized training for all delivery workers. Paramedics say riders are often at fault in nonfatal crashes, though slow speeds limit severity.
A survey of 164 courier workers by the Greek Institute of Health and Safety at Work found 70.3% check their phones frequently while driving, and 34.7% admit making dangerous maneuvers due to tight schedules. International data cited by a Greek riders’ union show couriers face two to four times higher accident risk than other workers.
Union president Ioannis Mousoulis blames “algorithmic pressure” from delivery platforms and efficiency bonuses, urging a cap on weekly work hours.
